1 in 2 Russians Say They’re Ready to Join Pension Protests — Poll

Over half of the Russian population is willing to protest government plans to raise the retirement age, according to a new survey published by the independent Levada Center pollster.

The government introduced draft legislation on June 14 that proposed raising the pension age for men and women by five years — to 65 and 63 years respectively. The Communist Party staged nationwide protests against the planned reform on Sunday, with more rallies — organized by opposition leader Alexei Navalny — expected on Sunday, Sept. 9.

The Russian president issued a televised address to the nation last Wednesday in favor of the reform in which he also proposed reducing the retirement age increase for women by three years — from 63 to 60.

Levada sociologist Denis Volkov told the RBC news website that Putin’s address was unlikely to ease public discontent with pension reform, but “could help them accept it.”

The Levada poll was carried out among 1,600 respondents in 52 Russian regions between Aug. 23 and Aug. 30.